The Duck of Death
by Nroque18
Summary: A new enemy stands between Matt's crew and the map - English Bill, the Duck of Death! To find the piece of the map to El Dorado, they must appease the Bison Totem Spirits and correct a mistake El Toro made long ago and heal wounds long past, yet not forgotten. The seventh installment of Pirate Legacy.
1. Chapter 1

**The Duck of Death**

Chapter One

"Don Rodrigo said we could find Tonka here." I answered Eagle Caller as we stood outside his tent.

"It is good to meet you, Tamer of Angry Spirits. You come for Tonka? He is not here. That one has always been a little crazy." Eagle Caller said.

"Forever he runs with men who wear masks. In his youth, it was a horse in black, and now a bird in blue. The Free Ranger, he is called."

"Go back to Cooper's Roost and hunt the sky for a great white canoe carved to look like a horse. You will find Tonka there."

I nodded, and we left for the _Aquila_. We sailed southeast to Cooper's Roost Skyway, where we soon spotted a ship painted white with its name, "_Silver Stallion_," in brass letters and a carved stallion figurehead being pursued by six Darkmoor ships with their hulls painted black.

"What be this, oh Captain my Captain? An evil fleet is after the Stallion – we got to fight them off!" Old Scratch called as he readied his staff.

"Beat to quarters!" I shouted as one of the men rang a bell on the quarterdeck. The men hurried to their battle stations and began loading their cannons as we neared the closest Darkmoor ship.

Richard Clutterbuck, the starboard gunnery officer, shouted as he pointed at the Darkmoor ship, and his men opened fire, sending sparks and splinters flying all over the undead crew.

"Make ready, boys!" Richard shouted, and while the men hurried to reload their cannons, the undead crew sent a boarding party aboard the _Aquila_ by swinging on ropes.

David, Richard's brother and the port gunnery officer, ordered his men to repel the boarders as he drew his pistol and shot the closest skeleton.

While the skeletons were occupied, the starboard guns fired another broadside at the Darkmoor ship, sinking her and leaving Richard's men free to help David's.

The skeletal boarding party was quickly defeated, and Old Scratch revived them to help us as we approached two more Darkmoor ships.

We squeezed in between the two Darkmoor ships, and fired a dual broadside, exposing the powder stores in the bows of the Darkmoor ships. The swivel guns quickly fired upon them, causing the Darkmoor ships to explode.

Two of the remaining three Darkmoor ships had come about to attack us, while the third was boarding the _Silver Stallion_, leaving us with no choice. "Prepare the heated cannonballs."

As the heated-shot furnaces roared to life, the men began heating the cannonballs. Great care had to be taken loading the heated cannonballs into cannon to ensure that it didn't prematurely ignite the cannon's charge of gunpowder.

A reduced charge of gunpowder was used with the heated shots to cause the cannonball to lodge in the wood of the target ship to catch on fire and to increase the splintering of the wood to act as shrapnel.

Once the charge was in place, moist cloth was rammed down against the bag to shield it from the heated shot, which was loaded next before firing.

As we fired the heated cannonballs, the cannonballs lodged themselves into the wood of the ships, and the burning Darkmoor ships fell out of the sky as we approached the _Silver Stallion_.

We drew to a stop with our port side facing the _Silver Stallion_'s starboard, and Rena drew her sword and pointed it at the _Silver Stallion_. "Hook us in! Bring her close!"

As David's men threw grappling hooks onto the railings and rigging _Silver Stallion_, Richard tossed each of his men a musket while David fired his pistol and shouted: "Man the swivels! Cover from the quarterdeck!"

The men fired their muskets at the boarding party, consisting of monsters similar to the one I and my trusted associates fought in the Cave of the Crescent Moon, and they were led by a black-feathered Duck with black clothes and glowing red eyes wielding two revolvers.

As the electrical charges came close to the Duck, a purple energy shield went up, similar to my Valor's Shield that blocked them.

"Beware, my Captain! That Duck, him has powerful mojo! Evil spirits protect him – he cannot be harmed!" Old Scratch warned me as he pointed at the Duck.

Old Scratch, along with the rest of the boarding party and the skeletons leapt onto the railings of the _Silver Stallion_, where we pulled ourselves up onto the quarterdeck.

"What's this? Squash them, lads!" The Duck shouted as he aimed one of his revolvers at me. I managed to dodge the electrical burst.

"Quench those fires quick, or we are doomed!" Old Scratch cried as he pointed at four large ghostly fires on the quarterdeck that threatened to engulf the ship in flames.

I stretched out my arm to summon a ghostly eagle to fly over the _Silver Stallion, _leaving a trail that landed onto the flames, causing them to die out.

I focused on guiding the eagle with the movements of my arm while the others covered me. As the last fire died out, I looked to see two of the monsters dragging a struggling Bison onto their ship, with the Duck hopping onto the railing and gripping the rigging.

"And now that I've taken my prize, I bid you adieu, Free Ranger." The Duck said as he tipped his hat to an injured Rooster amidst the bone piles. The Rooster wore a cowboy hat, a black domino mask, a red scarf, a blue jacket over a white shirt, and denim trousers were held up a belt with holsters.

But before we could help the Free Ranger, there were still some skeletons to take out. I drew my sword and decapitated a skeleton, grabbing its skull so I could throw it at another skeleton near the port railings, sending him overboard.

The skeletons fired their revolvers at me, but they were blocked by a Valor's Shield. I quickly ran over to one skeleton and swept his feet out from under him, allowing me to stab his skull.

Old Scratch and Emmett, who was also a member of the boarding party, ran to help me fight off the skeletons while the men formed a firing line. As we heard the crack of muskets, several skeletons fell stunned onto the quarterdeck.

"You there – need your help." Free Ranger called weakly as we finished off the last skeleton. Emmett, Old Scratch, and I ran over to him to hear what he had to say.

"English Bill… he's taken Tonka hostage! Can't… chase him like this. I'm hurt… Take me to Thunderbird Temple in the Bison village… Hurry…" Free Ranger said, coughing.

"Something strange is here. These are no normal wounds. Dark mojo been laid upon this Ranger, I and I can see it." Old Scratch said as he examined the Free Ranger's wounds.

"Then we must go quickly to the Bison village." Emmett said. We moved the Free Ranger on a stretcher to the sick bay aboard the _Aquila, _and we sailed back to the Bison village in Big Sky Country.

We dropped anchor at the Bison village docks, and as we hurried the Free Ranger's stretcher, the Bison, seeing the urgency of the situation, led us to Thunderbird Temple.

The interior of Thunderbird Temple had running water bordering the path leading up to the altar between two totem poles, where a Bison wearing a feathered headdress stood up to greet us.

"Bring Masked Bird here, quickly. What has happened?" The Bison asked. We set him down on a mat, and the Bison, who introduced himself as Dancing Stars, listened to our story while he examined the Free Ranger's wounds.

"This claw foot, Masked Bird, is a friend of the Big Sky Hunters. My heart rages to see him badly hurt." Dancing Stars said.

"These are no ordinary wounds – a shadow hangs over his spirit. Dark magic is at work here. I must rally the spirits to break its power."

"I need raw mandrake from our burial ground, the Bloodbat teeth warriors of the Black Storm tribe wear, and the sun pollen that blows through the skies, so hurry!"

We ran back to the _Aquila_, where we sailed to the Bison burial ground in Cooper's Roost Skyway. As we dropped anchor, a Bison hunter walked to meet us at the bottom of the gangplank.

"You come for Mandrake? It is gone. The Black Storm Raiders have taken it all. Go find them in the great canyon the Clawfeet call Arroyo Grande." The Bison hunter said.

We boarded the _Aquila_ and sailed to Junction in Arroyo Grande, where we took the lift down to the bottom of the canyon.

I and my trusted associates soon found a camp near the river filled with black Bison wearing Bloodbat teeth and wielding tomahawks and bows.

Rena brought out a striker, and she threw it at the head of one Black Storm Raider, knocking him out and sending the others after us.

As we met in the middle of the river, I grabbed some silt from the bottom of the river, and threw it into a charging raider's face before delivering an uppercut to his jaw.

A raider fired an arrow, but I leapt out of the way just in time to see it hit the water before I drew a pistol and returned the favor, stunning the raider.

With the raiders distracted, I ran back to their camp, and I searched their tents to find bags of mandrake roots in each one, and grabbing a burning stick from their fire, I proceeded to set their now empty tents on fire.

Drawing my sword with my right hand, I parried a tomahawk before setting the attacking raider's pants on fire, forcing him to stop, drop, and roll before being knocked out with the flat of my blade.

The skirmish with the raiders ended quickly, and we took the bags of mandrake roots and the raiders' necklaces made of Bloodbat teeth back to the _Aquila_, leaving the unconscious Black Storm Raiders and the burning camp behind.

As we sailed back to the Bison village, we came across a stretch of the sky filled with sun pollen, and we sent the men out in rowboats to catch the sun pollen with nets.

As the last of our sneezing men returned to the _Aquila _with their bags of sun pollen, we continued onwards to the Bison village.

We returned to Thunderbird Temple, where Dancing Star was waiting for us. "I see you have brought all that I asked for. It is good, and the winds have borne you well. You are not too late. The Masked Bird will live, but his strength will be slow to return. Where is Tonka? He should be here."

"English Bill's taken him hostage. He's the one who attacked the Free Ranger." I answered.

"Tonka is taken captive? Your news fills my heart with dread. Who is this dark soul, who uses both the Claw Foot's guns and the darkest magic?" Dancing Stars asked.

"If we are to save Tonka, you must learn the secrets of our shadowy foe. Go to the top of Elder Bluff and make an offering at the great totem."

"I cannot go – the totem spirits are angry with my tribe. Thunderbird will not hear my words. But if you call, Thunderbird will answer."

I nodded and we headed back to the docks to board the _Aquila_. We sailed south across the skyway to Elder Bluff, where we walked up the trail to the great totem.

"So… do I just touch it?" I asked as we stood at the base of the great totem, which was carved into the shape of a wolf. The image of a snake was carved above the wolf, and the image of an owl was carved above the snake, and at the top was the image of an eagle.

I hesitantly touched the wood of the great totem, and suddenly, we were all knocked back a few feet. I sat up to see a giant eagle with black feathers crackling with thunder standing in front of us.

"I am Thunderbird, mother of wind and storm. Mine is the breath that fills your sails, mine are the tempests that hurl your ship between worlds."


	2. Chapter 2

**The Duck of Death**

Chapter Two

"Great Thunderbird, we are here to learn more about English Bill." I said as I shakily stood up. I hoped my voice didn't crack along with the electricity in Thunderbird's feathers.

"Why should I help you? The spirit world shudders – all the totem spirits rage against each other, and the Bison tribes are to blame!" Thunderbird screeched, her eyes glowing with anger.

"Bring peace to the totem spirits, and I will answer your questions. Go to Raven Eyes, in the village of the Big Sky Hunters." Thunderbird said. With a flap of her wings and a burst of light, she was gone. I helped the others to get up, and we boarded the _Aquila_ to sail back to the Bison village.

After we had dropped anchor in the Bison village docks, I and my trusted associates asked a Bison to show us the way to Raven Eyes, who was standing on a small round island surrounded by running water along with two other Bison.

"My eyes see a heavy burden in your hearts. Why have you come to me?" Raven Eyes asked as we stepped across the stones to him.

"My name is Matthew Exeter, and these are my trusted associates. We're here to ask how we can bring peace to the totem spirits." I answered.

"I greet you, Matthew. Are you the spirit tamer my cousin Shadow of the Moon speaks of, the one who calmed the ghosts of my grandfathers?" Raven Eyes asked, and I nodded. "Well, yes, but I had my trusted associates to help me. Thunderbird sent us to find you."

"Thunderbird has sent you to me? Your spirit is mighty indeed. There is much that must be done before her anger will be appeased." Raven Eyes said.

"My people need you with a great need. The totem spirits who once watched over my tribe have turned their backs on us. Life is out of balance."

"My brother Sun Dancer knows much of this. He will tell you the source of our troubles, and what you must do." Raven Eyes said as he pointed to one of the other two Bison on the small island, who had stepped forward to speak.

"You know the Black Storm Raiders, who make so many troubles. They were once our brothers, until Three Scars betrayed us and the totem spirits." Sun Dancer said.

"Three Scars found the totem spirits: Brother Owl, Sister Snake, and Brother Wolf. He made pacts with them, but used their blessings for evil."

"We still suffer from Three Scars' treachery. The totem spirits turn their backs on us because Three Scars broke his oaths. This must change."

"A great vision quest lies before you, if you would help my people. You must find the totems and make peace with them. Raven Eyes will show you how."

"Shadow of the Moon spoke the truth, Wind Rider: your spirit is strong and true. Now your test begins." Raven Eyes said.

"Brother Owl is a mighty spirit, old and wise. He taught our medicine men their songs, and made the Headdress of Winds, birthright of the chief."

"Owl is the first totem you must call. The flute that calls him was stolen by the Red Sash gang – attack their ships to find it, and then bring it to me."

"I must make a special rattle from the tails of Stingtails, deadly scorpions. Hunt them in the great canyon the Claw Feet call Arroyo Grande."

We nodded as we left to set sail aboard the _Aquila_, and we soon found a lone Red Sash paddle steamer. Even though we had arrested their leader, Johnny Ringo, many of the Red Sashes were still around in smaller groups, like the paddle steamer we were about to attack.

"Beat to quarters!" I said as a bell was rung on the quarterdeck. Men poured out from below deck to their battle stations and began loading their cannons as we approached the paddle steamer from its port side.

"Starboard swivels, take out the paddle wheel!" I shouted, and the two men manning the two swivel guns on the starboard railings fired round shot into the paddle wheel, disabling it.

We came about to the other side of the paddle steamer, and the starboard guns fired grapeshot to thin out the Red Sashes while the swivels destroyed the other paddle wheel. We turned about again, and we furled our sails as our port side drew level with their starboard side.

"Hook us in! Bring her close!" Rena shouted as she drew her sword and pointed it at the paddle steamer. The men on the rigging threw grappling hooks onto the railings of the paddle steamer, and Richard tossed each of his men a musket as they passed by him.

"Man the swivels! Cover from the quarter deck!" David shouted as he fired his pistol at the Red Sashes trying to cut the ropes.

I left my position at the helm to join the boarding party, and we all shouted as we jumped off the railings onto the highest deck of the paddle steamer.

One Red Sash tried to punch me, but I ducked and delivered an uppercut to his lower beak, and he fell like a sack of potatoes.

I drew two pistols from the holsters at the back of my waist and stunned two Red Sashes distracted by their opponents with cutlasses, and as two Red Sashes tried to tackle me from my sides, I drew the other two pistols from my bandolier and pulled the triggers.

Drawing my sword and covering it with blue energy to blunt it, I slammed my sword into a Red Sash's head, knocking him out, and then I had to suddenly duck down behind a barrel to avoid enemy fire.

Prying away a Yum bottle from the hands of an unconscious Red Sash, I threw it at the head of another Red Sash, shattering it to pieces as the Red Sash fell down onto the deck, unconscious.

Just as a firing line of Red Sashes was about to fire upon my men, who were still forming one, I jumped in the way and blocked with a Valor's Shield.

I leapt out of the way and the crack of gunfire went off, stunning several Red Sashes. As the grapeshot thinned out more and more of the Red Sashes, we were soon able to take their cargo and the spirit flute without much resistance.

We left the few remaining Red Sashes to repair their paddle steamer, and we sailed onwards to Junction. As we reached Junction, I and my trusted associates went down the lift to Arroyo Grande, where we soon found a horde of Stingtails, scorpions with red bodies and green claws and stingers.

I drew my sword and lopped off the stinger of one of the Stingtails before stabbing it through its body. As one Stingtail leapt towards me, I drew a pistol from my bandolier and fired, stunning it in midair before killing it.

Ratbeard stomped a hole through a Stingtail with his peg leg and slammed the edge of his cutlass down onto another. Jack hurled a large rock onto another Stingtail, and Emmett stunned two more.

Bonnie whacked at the Stingtails with the butt of her Scaramanga, and at her back, Rena viciously slashed at the Stingtails behind Bonnie.

By the time we had sent the last Stingtails packing, we were all ready to fall onto our butts from the exhaustion of having to fight off what must've been dozens of Stingtails, but we managed to pull ourselves together and cut off the dead Stingtails' stingers.

We headed back to the _Aquila _and sailed back to the Bison village, where the Bison villagers surrounded me to touch the spirit flute in my hands as we walked to Raven Eyes with the bag of scorpion stingers.

"You have done well, Wind Rider. My tribe rejoices to see this precious flute return to us. I shall make the rattle, and teach you an ancient song." Raven Eyes said.

We stayed in the Bison village so I could learn the song, and the others went off to relax. Unfortunately for my head, I wasn't exactly a natural musician, and I spent the afternoon and evening hours playing the spirit flute in fear of the hard wood of Raven Eyes' staff with the netted hoop at the top.

The next morning, as I played the song one more time in front of Raven Eyes at the docks, he deemed it satisfactory to call forth Brother Owl."Take the rattle and the spirit flute to the peak overlooking Gold Creek and play the song. When Brother Owl comes, ask how we can win back his favor."

I stepped aboard the _Aquila_, and we sailed east to Gold Creek, where we walked all the way up to the lake overlooking the one below it.

I took out the rattle and flute from the inside of my coat and handing the rattle to Old Scratch so he could keep the beat, I began to play. It was amazing what a few hours' practice in fear of a Bison's staff could do.

"Raven Eyes' song is played, now Owl is come. Owl is a messenger – somebody going to die." Old Scratch said as a giant gray-feathered owl the size of a fishing boat appeared. He had blue eyes that glowed like Thunderbird's, and the same gaze that seemed to see right through you.

"That's easy for you to say." I said to the dreadlocked skeleton. Turning my attentions back to the giant owl, I bowed respectfully, and Brother Owl returned the gesture with a low nod.

"You have called, I answer. You are not of the Big Sky Hunters – what business do you have with Brother Owl?" Brother Owl asked.

"Brother Owl, why are you so angry at the Big Sky Hunters?" I asked.

"Why am I angry? The Bison took my great gift to them, the Headdress of Winds, made of my own feathers, and ruined it in their petty bickering." Brother Owl said.

"Three Scars used my blessing to steal the Headdress of Winds. He gave it to Queen Hornet, whose children ripped it to pieces."

"I must make a new headdress – to do this, I need the headdress beads the Black Storm Raiders wear. Bring them to me."

"Go to the hornet hive and take my feathers from their queen. Then I will forgive the Bison for their recklessness." Brother Owl said, and with that, he was gone in a flash.

We searched Gold Creek to find two drones buzzing in front of the entrance to a cave. Emmett quickly took them out with his pistols, and we crept quietly into their hive.

Rena peered around a corner, and took a smoke bomb from her belt. "Let's smoke them out with these."

She threw one around the corner, and we ran like hell to the entrance of the cave, pressing ourselves against the cliff just in time to avoid the swarm of fleeing hornets, which were the size of dogs.

A purple hornet, larger than the rest, was the last to fly out of the hive, and Rena hurled her dagger through the queen's wings, causing her to fall to the ground. The queen hornet raised her head and sent out a distress signal, and almost immediately, the swarm stopped fleeing and flew to her aid.

As I drew my sword, I noticed that there were large owl feathers stuck to the bodies of the hornets by sap. I slashed at one hornet, and another tried to spear me from the other side, but I managed to shoot it with a pistol from my bandolier.

We stood together surrounded by hornets, and Rena threw a smoke bomb at our feet, just as the hornets were about to charge.

When the smoke cleared, many hornets lay on the ground, the smoke having gotten to them. We quickly stabbed each one before turning our attentions back to the ones still alive. "Let's go."


	3. Chapter 3

**The Duck of Death**

Chapter Three

As the hornets charged us, I pulled out another pistol from behind my waist and fired, stunning one of them before I slashed at another.

Rena threw two strikers at two more hornets, and Bonnie managed to shoot down a hornet coming from above. Emmett, the hornets giving him no time to reload, had begun using his pistols as hammers by holding their barrels.

Jack and Ratbeard slashed at the hornets, in front of Old Scratch as he prepared to use his hoodoo. "Breathe, Jobu!"

Old Scratch waved his staff, and he summoned a giant floating green skull with eyes of purple fire to breathe purple fog onto the remaining hornets, and I guess the skull's breath acted as smoke, and I could hear the soft thuds as the hornets' bodies hit the ground.

Old Scratch waved his staff again, and purple lightning erupted from the top of his staff, bug-zapping the nearest hornet, and the lightning arced onto the closest one, and the next, until the lightning finally reached the queen hornet, killing her.

We quickly plucked Brother Owl's feathers from the bodies of the hornets, and we returned to the _Aquila_. As we left Gold Creek, I stood at the bow with my spyglass, and as I scanned the horizon, I spotted a flock of birds suddenly fly out from the other side of Gold Creek.

"Something must've startled them." I said to myself as I put away my spyglass. I walked back to the helm, where Rena was steering the _Aquila_.

"Did you see anything, Matt?" Rena asked as I approached the pilot's wheel. I nodded as I took the pilot's wheel from Rena, and she took a position at my left. "Yes, north of here."

As the sails were unfurled to full sail, we went from a leisurely pace to a brisk one. Nodding at one of the men below on the quarterdeck, he rang the bell, shouting: "Beat to quarters!"

As men came up from the bulkhead doors leading below deck to man the cannons on the quarterdeck, I steered to the left, just in time to see the flash of cannons firing from the broadside of a hunting galleon with red and black sails.

"Get down!" I shouted as we ducked behind the railings, the cannonballs whizzing over our heads. As we drew closer, I could see that the hunting galleon was manned by the Black Storm Raiders.

"Make ready, boys!" Richard Clutterbuck shouted from his perch atop the starboard railing. The men finished loading the cannons just as the _Aquila _drew parallel with the hunting galleon, and I shouted: "Fire!"

The men fired the cannons, causing splinters and sparks to fly from the railings of the hunting galleon, wounding several Bison raiders.

"They've got fire arrows!" David Clutterbuck shouted, and I looked to see that he was correct: several Bison raiders with bows were aiming flaming arrows at us. Gritting my teeth, I was forced to tack more into the wind to avoid them setting the _Aquila_'s sails on fire.

"Swivels, load the grapeshot!" I said. The men loaded metal canisters filled with musket balls into the swivel guns and as we drew parallel with the hunting galleon's starboard side, fired the grapeshot before the Bison archers could take aim, wounding them and several other raiders.

The hunting galleon and the _Aquila _exchanged broadsides, although the hunting galleon was worse off, being outgunned by the _Aquila_'s port side. I nodded at David, and he shouted at his men to load the chain shots into the cannons.

The swivel guns provided cover fire with grapeshot while the men loaded the chain shots, and at David's signal, fired at the hunting galleon, ripping holes through the canvas sails and toppling the wooden masts. We came around the bow of the hunting galleon, and we drew to a stop next to her.

The men on the rigging threw grappling hooks onto the railings of the hunting galleon and began pulling her closer to the _Aquila_, while the men below on the quarterdeck provided cover fire with their guns. I left my position at the helm, with Rena taking over the pilot's wheel, to join the boarding party.

We yelled battle cries as we leapt off the railings onto the deck of the hunting galleon, where I drew the pistols from my bandolier and stunned two tomahawk-wielding raiders before holstering them to draw my sword.

I began to fight another tomahawk-wielding raider, and I dodged out of the way of his devastating blows, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

My opportunity came when the raider tried for a horizontal slash, and blunting my sword with blue energy, I slammed it into his stomach, causing him to bend over from pain, allowing me to slam the hilt of my sword into his head.

I then saw an arrow pierce the plank right next to my foot, and I looked to see a Bison raider drawing his bow. I jumped out of the way to avoid the next arrow before drawing a pistol from behind my waist to stun the raider.

One of my men managed to slam the mouth of his musket's barrel into the stomach of a raider, and just as the raider looked up, the sailor slammed the butt of his musket into the raider's head, knocking the raider out cold.

Suddenly, a rope dropped over me, and I could feel it tighten around me, trapping my arms. I looked up to see the gleam of a tomahawk's edge above my head. Suddenly, the Bison raider restraining me cried out and he fell backwards, and I felt the rope let go of me.

I looked to see Bonnie give me a grin as she stood on the quarterdeck with smoke coming out of the mouth of the barrel of her Scaramanga. I smiled back in return as I ran to rejoin my men on the other side of the quarterdeck.

I drew the two pistols at the back of my waist while the men with muskets formed a firing line. "Make ready… fire!"

As the crack of guns went off, several raiders were stunned by the electrical bursts, and those remaining were retreating to the helm. We hid behind the fallen masts as we advanced to the helm to avoid the arrows being fired by the raiders.

The swivel guns fired more grapeshot at the helm, wounding several raiders, and with nowhere left to run, they surrendered. On the conditions that they would hand over their headdress beads, we would leave them to repair their ship and to tend to their wounded.

We sailed back to Gold Creek, where I and my trusted associates walked up the trail to the peak of the cliffs, where Brother Owl was waiting near the small dock in the lake.

"I shall take these feathers and weave a new headdress." Brother Owl said as he swept a wing over our hands holding the beads and feather, taking them with him as he went back to the spirit world. I supposed he didn't want us to find out how he wove without hands.

To pass the time, Rena brought out a pair of dice and her money pouch from her waistcoat, and we all began playing. The game was simple: one and two were losers, and eleven and twelve were winners, and any other score didn't count.

Just as Rena scooped up the pot into her money pouch with a smug smile of satisfaction, Brother Owl reappeared in a flash of light, and we all hurriedly stood up to see a beautiful headdress hanging from the tip of his wing, which was impressive for someone without fingers.

"Take this back to Raven Eyes as a sign that Brother Owl watches over his people once again." Brother Owl said as he handed me the headdress. I nodded, closing my eyes as Brother Owl disappeared in a flash of light.

We returned to the _Aquila _and sailed west back to the Bison village, where Raven Eyes was waiting for us on his little island, and I started to wonder if he ever leaves the island.

"The winds sing in joy, Ghost Tamer! Brother Owl smiles on us again, and you have restored the chief's birthright! Your vision quest has begun!" Raven Eyes said.

"Sister Snake has mighty medicine – she is a spirit of destiny. Her bite is death, yet she dies each year and sheds her skin to rise reborn."

"To call her forth, take this sky snake egg to Isla de los Muertos and throw it into the pool behind the waterfall. Sister Snake, when she comes, will tell you what must be done." Raven Eyes said as he gently handed me a pure white egg wrapped in cloth that was soft to touch.

I carried the egg in my coat pocket back to the _Aquila_, and as we left the Bison village, Rena was flipping through the pages of Nikolai's atlas. "Isla de los Muertos is northeast of Santo Pollo."

We sailed through Cooper's Roost Skyway to Santo Pollo Skyway, where we dropped anchor at Isla de los Muertos near the waterfall Raven Eyes had told us about. I and my trusted associates walked down the gangplank and to the waterfall.

Shielding my face from the spray with my arm, I peered around the waterfall to find a cave with a large pool inside. Beckoning for the others to follow, we entered the cave and I brought out the sky snake egg from my coat pocket.

I tossed into the middle of the pool, creating a large ripple before a giant snake emerged from where the egg had landed, and she had glowing blue eyes and glistening scales that, starting from her head, were in a repeating pattern of purple and green separated by yellow bands, and two large white fangs.

"Look at that snake!" Bonnie cried as she and the others backed away a pace. I alone nervously stood my ground, but I couldn't really blame them for wanting to run.

"I see you, young one. And now you see me." Sister Snake hissed. I swallowed nervously before I spoke. "What must be done so that you may forgive the Big Sky Hunters, Sister Snake?"

"Three Scars tricked me! After my oldest son transformed into a flying snake, I gave Three Scars some of my venom to kill that abomination." Sister Snake hissed.

"But he did not. It was Three Scars who had twisted my son and gave him wings in the first place! I was betrayed, and the Bison did nothing."

"Perhaps you can succeed where their hunters fail. Seek out Flying Snake, he who was my son. Bring me his broken fangs and I will be satisfied." Sister Snake hissed as she sank beneath the surface of the pool. We then left the cave to begin our search for Flying Snake aboard the _Aquila. _

We had looked everywhere in the Skyways of Santo Pollo and Cooper's Roost, but we didn't find anything until I brought my spyglass up to my eye to see a large red-and-purple snake with blood-red feathery wings snatch up some Buffaloon in front of us from below in Big Sky Country, near a tempest.

"Whoa!" I shouted as I heaved on the pilot's wheel, and the _Aquila _turned to port to pursue Flying Snake. As we caught up to Flying Snake, he suddenly flew above the quarterdeck and landed near the bow, nearly squashing some of the men.

"The ship is yours, Rena!" I shouted as I let go of the pilot's wheel, which was then quickly seized by Rena. Richard tossed me a sheathed small sword, and I hastily strapping it to my belt as I ran down the stairs to the quarterdeck, where the men were forming a firing line.

I drew the small sword along with my black sword and began running towards Flying Snake, who hissed loudly as his head lunged for me.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Duck of Death**

Chapter Four

**A/N: I've changed Flying Snake's size and the "Matt-jumping-atop-Flying-Snake" scene in the last chapter to a scene where a smaller Flying Snake is atop the quarterdeck. **

As Flying Snake lunged at me, I leapt out of the way and he drew himself to his full height, a towering six feet, and he lunged at me again. As I leapt backwards, Flying Snake coiled himself up, and then his tail snapped like a whip, sending me crashing near the bow, groaning.

As I sat up, I saw Flying Snake slither towards me. Drawing a pistol from my bandolier, I fired it at his head, but he managed to rear up just in time, and the electrical burst left a scorch mark on the quarterdeck.

Holstering my pistol, I quickly got up and picked up my swords, which had fallen to my sides when I crashed against the deck. Suddenly, a rope flew in front of Flying Snake's chest, and I saw two men quickly run in opposite directions behind Flying Snake, and Flying Snake was soon restrained by the men.

I seized my chance and crossed my arms across my chest as I ran towards Flying Snake, and like a pair of scissors, my swords made two wounds across Flying Snake's chest.

Flying Snake hissed in pain and he struggled to break free of the ropes, and already, the threads of the ropes were snapping and giving way.

I saw Old Scratch wave his staff, and two ghostly skeletal hands seized hold of Flying Snake, and Bonnie and Emmett hit Flying Snake with electrical bursts from their guns.

I began running towards Flying Snake, and made a leaping lunge that decapitated Flying Snake, sending his severed head rolling across the quarterdeck, leaving blood on the quarterdeck to be holystoned by the men as we sailed back to Isla de los Muertos in Santo Pollo Skyway.

I and my trusted associates went behind the waterfall, where Sister Snake was waiting for us in the pool. I brought out Flying Snake's broken fangs, which had proven to be so hard we needed a hatchet to remove them.

"I am pleased. You have taught that which was my son a dear lesson, and avenged my honor. Go back to the Big Sky Hunters, and tell them so." Sister Snake hissed. She gestured with her head for the fangs to be put into the water, and as the fangs sunk into the water, so did Sister Snake.

We sailed back to the Bison village in Big Sky Country, where Raven Eyes greeted us on his island with: "Hoka he, wind riders!"

"You have given my people a gift beyond measure. Two of the totems are appeased, but there is one more. Brother Wolf is a mighty spirit, second only to Thunderbird. He is the hunter, who taught our fathers to hunt and provide for the tribe."

"To call Brother Wolf, you must prove you are a hunter. Track down the striped Buffaloon, also called Bumbaloon, rarest and strongest of the herd."

"Take the striped Buffaloon's meat to Scorpion Rock, and lay it out so that the wind catches its scent. If you do this, Brother Wolf will surely come."

We left Raven Eyes' island and the Bison village, and began hunting for the Bumbaloon. We soon found one amidst a herd of regular Buffaloon, and they all snorted angrily and pawed the sky as the _Aquila _came close.

As we drew even closer, the Bumbaloon reared up in mid-air and led the charge to our quarterdeck. The men shot down the Buffaloon as they came onto the quarterdeck, leaving the Bumbaloon alone at the mercy of my pistols.

As we sailed to Scorpion Rock in Big Sky Country, we began butchering and salting the meat of the Buffaloon to be stored in the hold, and we wrapped the freshly-butchered Bumbaloon meat to take with us to Brother Wolf.

We reached a point with some flat rocks in Scorpion Rock where we could see the entire horizon, and Ratbeard, the one holding the Bumbaloon meat. "Here, I'll lay the meat out on the stones."

As Ratbeard did so, the wind picked up, just for a moment before calming down, and then we heard the howl of a wolf, and we all looked around for its source.

"We are not alone." Old Scratch said. I turned my face away from him, and I nearly jumped out of my boots to see a gray-furred wolf with glowing blue eyes standing where my gaze had passed over it just a few moments ago.

"You have come a long way to find me, two-legs. I smell your fear – maybe I will eat you and this fine meat for dinner?" Brother Wolf growled.

"The Bison cowards have sent you. Why? Do they offer your flesh and bones to appease me? You are too small to eat – you must come to bargain."

"I must have vengeance! Silver Rain, the chief's bride, was blessed by me at her birth. I was her protector, her guardian spirit."

"Three Scars killed her, using Sister Snake's venom! The poison was so terrible, it blinded her ghost. She cannot find her way into the spirit world."

"Put Silver Rain's spirit to rest and I may forgive the Big Sky Hunters. Sister Snake has the power to release her, I am sure." Brother Wolf said, and with that, he disappeared along with the Bumbaloon meat. We returned to the _Aquila _and we sailed to Isla de los Muertos.

I and my trusted associates went behind the waterfall to the cave, where Sister Snake was waiting for us, and she hissed: "So quick to return and ask a boon? You have done me a great service, so I shall grant you one. Speak."

"Sister Snake, we need something that will cure your venom, like some kind of balm." I said, bowing in respect.

"It is impossible to make one – for any who dwell in this realm. But you, child, walk in many realms." Sister Snake hissed.

"You must find a ghost tear, and grumwort herb. There is no grumwort in these skies, and no spirit here holds a ghost tear."

"We can find them things in Skull Island, Captain my Captain. Vadima, her tell us how." Old Scratch said. We bowed respectfully to Sister Snake before leaving for the _Aquila_.

I had heard rumors about Madame Vadima, about how she came to Skull Island from far off Darkmoor, and how no one knows what made her leave her beloved homeland. Some say she was once a student at a school of magic Pigswick Academy, but was expelled for research into black magic.

I had also heard rumors about her amazing fortune telling, and how the often-confusing-but-rarely-wrong prophecies she sees through card reading and crystal gazing have earned her a high place in Avery's organization.

As the _Aquila_ neared the Stormgate to Flotsam, I pressed the Windstone installed inside the pilot's wheel, and the Aquila was surrounded by a transparent force field that protected the ship from the winds of the Stormgate, but even then, Stormgates presented difficult conditions to work in.

Rena issued orders for tacking to the men, while I constantly adjusted the _Aquila_ according to the winds. As we reached the bottom of the Stormgate, we all tied ourselves to the _Aquila_ with rope, and she leaned forward as we entered, so that the deck was nearly vertical while the winds howled in our ears.

My eyes were closed and my heart was beating rapidly, as if it were trying to achieve a lifetime's worth of heartbeats before what could be the end, but then the ship suddenly righted herself.

As I opened my eyes, it was as if we were traveling through a dark tunnel illuminated by the light at the end and the sky blue auroras surrounding us like a loose glowing braid.

As we neared the light at the end and entered the Stormgate on the other side, the deck went almost vertical again as the wind howled in our ears, but then the _Aquila_ righted herself, and as we were out of reach of the Stormgate, I breathed a sigh of relief.

As we passed by Flotsam, our gunnery officers, the Clutterbuck brothers opened the bulkhead doors at the base of the main mast, and the men poured out from below decks.

"Set course for Skull Island!" I shouted, and the men hurried to bring her to full sail. We sailed west to Skull Island Skyway, and the mountaintop that gave the island its name came into view.

We made port at Skull Island's docks, and leaving the men to relax for a few hours, we passed by the general store of Nikolai Volkov, our landlord. "What say we drop in on Nikolai for lunch?"

The others nodded, and as we pushed open the door, the bell above it rang to signify our presence. Our landlord looked up from his book and smiled at us. "Hey, welcome back! I'm just about to make lunch."

A few minutes later, Nikolai returned from the kitchen with lunch, and over plates of sandwiches and lemonade, we told him about our adventures. "You met Argleston?"

"Yeah, do you know him?" I asked, swallowing the last of my grilled cheese and taking another swig of lemonade before reaching for another sandwich.

"Yeah, he was the librarian at my alma mater." Nikolai answered as he refilled the others' glasses with lemonade.

"Oh, what did you study?" Rena asked, interested. Nikolai hesitated for a moment before answering. "I mainly studied literature, geography, and Spiral history."

After lunch and our goodbyes, we walked to a cave in Avery's Court with lights glowing inside, and Old Scratch led us inside.

The Witchdoctor's Sanctum was large and dimly lit. It had had a mossy cobblestone floor, many low round tables and cushions spread around the room, and potions and cauldrons near the walls.

A middle-aged woman with dark skin, long black hair and green eyes stood near the back with a crystal ball in her hands. She wore an orange-and-green headband, a green dress with a purple corset, and black boots with heels.

"You return, Pirate, seeking strange things. I can help you." Madame Vadima said with a Darkmoor accent. "Ghost tear is in cave on Isle of Doom. But beware – scaly sorcerer who holds it will not want to give it up, I think."

"Grumwort is harder. Very rare herb, I have seen none for many months. Go and take the tear – I will find Grumwort for you while you are gone."

We nodded as we left the Witchdoctor's Sanctum to board the _Aquila_. We sailed to Tradewinds Skyway to the Isle of Doom, where the Monkeys there, who hadn't forgotten how we brought food to them when they were starving, greeted us warmly.

After we had explained what we were here for, the Monkeys led us to the mouth of a cave near their camp. We drew our weapons and went inside the cave, and soon, we found light at the end of the cave.

In the lit area of the cave was an Aztecosaur mummy flanked by two evil spirits, with hoodoo supplies near the back of the cave.

The Aztecosaur wasted no time in firing laser beams from his eyes, and we jumped out of the way and returned fire.

Old Scratch waved his staff and black globs rose from the shadows of the cave, and flung themselves at the Aztecosaur's feet, leaving him unable to move.

I holstered my pistols and drew my two swords as I ran towards the Aztecosaur, with the others taking care of the evil spirits. Reversing my grip on the hilts of my swords, I slashed through the Aztecosaur's bandages before leaping back to avoid two swipes from his claws.

I returned to wielding my swords normally, and as I lunged with my right sword towards his head, the Aztecosaur managed to grab hold of the blade, with black blood streaming a little down his left arm.

Bringing my left sword forward, I stabbed the Aztecosaur through the heart, and as I pulled out my sword, the Aztecosaur cried in pain as he fell down onto the sandy floor, dead.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Duck of Death**

Chapter Five

I spotted the Ghost Tear, a clear crystal in the shape of a teardrop with white fog inside, in an amulet on the bandages of the Aztecosaur, and I removed it to put it inside my coat.

We returned to the Witchdoctor's Sanctum in Avery's Court on Skull Island, where the glow from Madame Vadima's crystal ball faded as she looked up at us.

"Spirits whisper of secret trade in Grumwort, controlled by Frogfather in Gullet. Cards tell me you know him." Madam Vadima said.

"Go speak to Frogfather, and heart tells me he will help you find Grumwort. I see a mighty burden on you, Pirate. Walk your path carefully."

We left the Witchdoctor's Sanctum to set sail aboard the _Aquila_, to Jonah Town, built atop the back of a flying whale.

As we dropped anchor in Jonah Town's docks, Brody waved at us from his raft, the _Highwind_, with a fresh catch of fish.

I chuckled to myself as I remembered the days when Rena, Bonnie, Emmett, and I used to sail aboard that sad excuse for a ship, before we had acquired the _Aquila_ and given the _Highwind_ to Brody, who had lost his fishing boat, the _Amity_, when we rescued him in the Vortex of Doom.

Leaving the Clutterbuck brothers to bargain with Brody for fresh fish, I and my trusted associates walked to the whale's blowhole in Jonah Town, where Captain Ahab, the Pelican mayor of Jonah Town, simply nodded silently as we told him we were here to see the Frogfather.

We climbed into the bucket dangling over the whale's blowhole, and we were lowered down into Gullet, home of the Frogfather.

We walked to the Frogfather's sanctum, where the two Crab thugs wouldn't let me and Jack through, until Rocco, the Frogfather's consigliore, let us in to see the Frogfather, who was sitting at his desk.

The Frogfather was a fat Frog, dressed in a black suit, and he poured us some fine Yum. "Ah, my favorite pirates come back to Skull Island to see their Frogfather. What favor do you two ask of me?"

"We're here to ask you about Grumwort." I answered as I took a sip of the fine Yum from my wine glass.

"Grumwort… How strange that you should ask of this today. I do indeed control the Grumwort market here in Skull Island, or did until recently." The Frogfather said as he took a sip.

"What happened?" Jack asked as he sipped from his glass. If we were aboard the _Aquila_, he would've downed the entire thing in one gulp, but the Frogfather was an old-fashioned frog with a healthy respect for manners.

"My business partner, Joey Karo, has betrayed me. He has stolen my supply of Grumwort and taken it to Flotsam."

"Convince him of the error of his ways, and I will gladly give some of my Grumwort to you. It is good to do business with you again, my young friends." The Frogfather said as he raised his glass in a small toast. We finished our Yum and left Gullet and Jonah Town to set sail east to Flotsam.

After we had dropped anchor in Flotsam's docks, we paid an information broker to tell us the whereabouts of Joey Karo, which was in the captain's cabin of one of the many derelict ships that made up Flotsam.

As we stood outside the door, we drew our weapons, and Jack kicked down the door. As we poured into the room, we saw the cabin was occupied by Crab thugs with daggers and a sole Frog, presumably Joey Karo, wielding two pistols.

"What business, may I ask, do you have barging into my home? I think you should leave before things become most… unpleasant." Joey Karo said as he aimed his pistols.

Bonnie's response for all of us was to shoot one of Joey's thugs, and the room erupted into violence. I stunned four Crabs with my pistols before ducking down from Joey's shots.

Jack took on one of the Crab thugs, and their blades clashed as Jack brought up his sword in a quarterstaff parry in response to the Crab thug's two-handed downwards slash.

Kicking him in the stomach, Jack brought down the hilt of his sword onto the Crab thug's head, knocking him out before moving on to his target.

I saw Joey about to make a cheap shot at Jack's back, but Emmett was quicker, and Joey Karo lay stunned upon the wooden planks of the floor.

Old Scratch entrapped a Crab thug's feet in black goo, and Bonnie stunned another Crab thug with her Scaramanga. Ratbeard smacked a Crab thug upside the head with the flat of his cutlass, and Rena delivered quick strikes with the flat of her saber.

Soon, all of the Crabs were either knocked out or stunned, and as Joey Karo came to, I seized him by his shirt and began shaking him. "Enough! Take your Grumwort! Take it! I'm ruined… ruined!"

As Joey Karo began sobbing, we searched his home until we found the jars of the preserved Grumwort and his strongbox, which contained the gold he had made selling it.

"We have all we need – now we bring it all back to Sister Snake." Old Scratch said.

With the jars with the others, just for fun, Rena and I decided to have a race back to the _Aquila_. She might be faster and have more experience in climbing than me, but I had better crowd intuition, able to move with the crowd towards my destination.

As I ran atop a fallen mast, I leapt off the edge, curling my body up into the ball before landing on my feet. Not too far away, Rena was running across another mast spar to another rooftop.

Seeing my rooftop route about to end, I leapt off into an unattended cart full of sailcloth, landing safely inside before vaulting out of the cart to run towards a lift, easily darting in and out of the crowd.

The lift was made of a rope attached to some heavy wood bundled in a net, which extended from the ground level to a pulley at the top of a beam. I released the lever at the base of lift, dropping the net of wood, and grabbed onto the rope, pulling me to the top of another building.

As I leapt onto the edge of another building and pulled myself up, I noticed Rena was pulling ahead. I then noticed a zip-line atop a nearby tall building that ended at another lower building near the _Aquila_, and if I could just make it there in time…

Leaping onto the scaffolding next to the tall building, I quickly scaled the building to the zip-line, where I brought out from the inside of my coat a long steel hook with soft leather wrapped around its length attached to a leather cuff.

Quickly putting it on, I latched onto the zip-line before tucking in my limbs, lessening the drag so I could slide along the line more quickly.

As the zip-line was about to come to an end, I leapt off onto the roof, and I saw Rena was dead even with me on another rooftop. We both leapt off the buildings and curled into balls before landing on our feet to run towards the _Aquila_.

We both skidded to a stop right in front of the gangplank leading up to the _Aquila_, and we began arguing about who won the race. A few minutes later, as the others caught up to us on the quarterdeck, trying to catch their breath, we raised the anchor to set sail for Cool Ranch.

As the _Aquila_ neared the Stormgate to Cooper's Roost, I pressed the blue Windstone installed inside the pilot's wheel, and the _Aquila_ was surrounded by a transparent force field that protected the ship from the winds of the Stormgate, but even then, Stormgates presented difficult conditions to work in.

Rena issued orders for tacking to the men, while I constantly adjusted the _Aquila_ according to the winds. As we reached the bottom of the Stormgate, we all tied ourselves to the _Aquila_ with rope, and she leaned towards the bow as we passed through, so that the deck was nearly vertical.

My eyes were closed and my heart was beating rapidly, as if it were trying to achieve a lifetime's worth of heartbeats before what could be the end, but then the ship suddenly righted herself.

As I opened my eyes, it was as if we were traveling through a dark tunnel illuminated by the light at the end and the sky blue auroras surrounding us like a loose glowing braid.

As we neared the light at the end and entered the Stormgate on the other side, the deck went almost vertical again as the _Aquila_'s bow pointed up, but then she righted herself, and as we sailed out of reach of the Stormgate, I breathed a sigh of relief.

As we passed by Cooper's Roost, our gunnery officers, the Clutterbuck brothers opened the hatch at the base of the main mast, and the men poured out from below decks. We sailed east to Santo Pollo Skyway, where we dropped anchor at Isla de los Muertos.

I and my trusted associates walked behind the waterfall, where Sister Snake was waiting for us in her pool. "You have done well. I will brew the balm you seek."

Coiling her tail around the Ghost Tear and the two jars of Grumwort, she dove into the water and we decided to wait in the cave.

As with Brother Owl, we decided to play another game of dice with the same rules as last time, and as Rena was smugly scooping up the pot into her money pouch (again), Sister Snake's head emerged from the pool with a jar full of a green liquid that seemed to glow with life.

"Pour this on Silver Rain's grave in the gorge of bones nearby. Silver Rain will have peace." Sister Snake instructed me as she gave me the jar. I nodded, and she dove beneath the surface of the pool again.

We walked up the trail to the gorge of bones, where a tall totem pole marked Silver Rain's grave. I opened the jar and poured the balm onto the mound of dirt, and Old Scratch said: "De venom is on the grave. Listen, my Captain – the ghost draws close."

"My sight is restored! I can join my grandfathers and Brother Wolf in the spirit world." A voice said as the ghost of a female Bison rose up towards the heavens. I smiled briefly as we returned to the _Aquila _to sail to Scorpion Rock in Big Sky Country.

Brother Wolf was waiting for us on the same cliff where we had made the offering of Bumbaloon meat, which was now gone. "You are not as craven as you look, little human. You have brought peace to my heart. And now there are crimes to be answered for."

"Three Scars promised to wear my skin so he could steal Queen Hornet's sting. But did he do this? No! He killed Silver Rain. He must pay."

"You shall bear my vengeance to the Black Storm Raiders. Hunt them with my blessing, and do not rest until you humble Three Scars himself."

"When Three Scars is defeated, take the Bow of Chiefs from him and carry it back to Raven Eyes. Then many old wounds shall at last be healed."

Brother Wolf nodded at me, and I looked down at my arms to find myself covered in a blue glow, though I didn't feel any different. Brother Wolf disappeared, and we walked back to the _Aquila, _where we decided to look in the Black Storm, a nearby maelstrom.

As the _Aquila _was brought to full sail, I felt like the alpha male of a wolf pack, looking for his prey.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Duck of Death**

Chapter Six

As we sailed towards the Black Storm in the evening, we all tied coils of rope around our waists and the railings so that we were secure when we entered the Black Storm. "Bring her to full sail!"

As they raised the sails for maximum speed and entered the walls of the vortex, the ship tilted to the right, sending everyone towards starboard side. Luckily, the worst was over as the ship passed through the wall of the vortex and tilted back to normal.

In the eye of the storm was a hunting galleon, the brass letters on the bow reading "_Black Cloud_," manned by the Black Storm Raiders, and at the pilot's wheel stood a Bison shaman with three scars wearing a feathered headdress.

"Three Scars…" I growled as I lowered my spyglass. The _Black Cloud _spotted us, and it unfurled its sails to move towards us.

"Make ready, boys!" Richard Clutterbuck shouted to his men on the starboard side, and as we passed by each other, we both unleashed our broadsides, sending sparks and splinters flying everywhere.

Leaving the pilot's wheel in Rena's hands, I took a grappling hook and threw it onto the spar of one of the _Black Cloud_'s masts, and I swung across to the _Black Cloud_.

I let go of the rope just in time to kick two raiders in the head before drawing the pistols on the back of my waist to stun two more raiders who had left their cannons to deal with me.

Quickly holstering my pistols, I drew the other two from my bandolier and shot two raiders trying to attack me from the sides.

Drawing my two swords, I was soon surrounded by Bison, and I crossed my swords in front of my back and chest and spun around just as arrows were fired at me, deflecting them with a Valor's Shield.

I lunged at the closest raider with lightning speed, and I slammed a raider against the railing with my swords, which were covered in blue energy to avoid killing.

I turned to face the other raiders. I darted from one opponent to another, slamming my swords into their stomachs or their heads.

Left with no choice but to face me himself, Three Scars left the _Black Cloud _in the hands of one of the few remaining crewmen before walking down the stairs from the helm to the quarterdeck, holding a steel battleaxe in one hand that was probably meant to be wielded by two.

"Who are you to make war against the Black Storm Raiders? Do you think I am afraid? Come, fool, come to your doom!" Three Scars shouted. He then inhaled deeply, and he grew larger until he towered over me. As he brought down his battleaxe, I crossed my swords in front of me just in time to block it.

My arms trembled slightly with the effort to keep it from chopping me in half, and then a sudden burst of strength allowed me to push away Three Scars' battleaxe, causing him to stumble backwards.

Then with lightning speed, I unleashed a series of devastating blows upon Three Scars with all the strength of Brother Wolf, whose spirit I could feel coursing through my veins like adrenaline with fifty times the kick.

"Faster!" I hissed under my breath as Three Scars struck my face with a punch that would've felled most men. Urging my body to go faster, I spun around Three Scars like a razor wind, cutting at his legs with my swords.

As I thrust my right sword forward, Three Scars managed to grab the blade with his empty left hand and raise his battleaxe above his head. I knew I was done for unless I did something, quick.

Pulling my right sword back, I released the blue energy blunting my swords, and I pulled Three Scars forward while simultaneously lunging towards me, and I stabbed him through the heart.

I suddenly felt sick to my stomach as I pulled my sword out of Three Scars' chest, and I fell to my knees, all of my adrenaline gone, as the others finally boarded the _Black Cloud_.

As the men's cutlasses clashed with the Black Storm Raiders' tomahawks, I collapsed from exhaustion onto the quarterdeck.

The moment I gained consciousness in the _Aquila_'s sickbay, I was immediately overwhelmed with nausea, so I was thankful that the moment I sat up, a sick bowl was shoved into his hands as I heaved up the contents of my stomach.

When I was done, I shakily passed it to whoever gave it to me without looking up, feeling incredibly guilty and ashamed. I could still remember the moment when the light in Three Scars' eyes faded.

"Matt?" A familiar voice asked.

My head snapped up, surprised to see none other than Rena sitting on a chair next to my hammock. She passed me a glass of water and I gulped it greedily to get rid of the sour taste in my mouth.

Rena's eyes were tired yet bright with concern, looking as though she'd only slept a few hours, and she'd changed from her usual clothes into a short green nightgown that exposed her shoulders and long sleeves reaching up to her elbows.

I passed her the empty glass and ran a hand through my hair, and I found that it was messy and tangled, but I couldn't find the energy to get up and wash.

A low growl emitted from my throat before I could stop it, and I averted my gaze to the ceiling as I flopped back down on his bed.

"...Are you feeling better?" Rena asked. Her tentative question broke the small silence that surrounded us, though I only answered her with a nod, and we fell silent again.

"I have to tell you something, Rena." I said as I stared up at the ceiling, illuminated only by the light of lantern hanging from the ceiling on a chain. "I killed him, Rena. I killed Three Scars."

Rena was silent for a few seconds, and then she answered: "It's midnight. We'd both better get some sleep."

I sighed as I closed my eyes, and I'd thought I'd never stop replaying Three Scars' death in my mind, but sleep overtook me almost instantly.

The next morning, after I had taken a much-needed bath and eaten breakfast, I and my trusted associates went to see Raven Eyes, as we had made port at the Bison village during the night.

"Our grandchildren's grandchildren shall sing songs of your deeds, wind riders. You have appeased the totems and restored harmony to the spirit world." Raven Eyes said as Rena handed him the chief's bow.

"You have taken back the chief's bow, freed his bride, and brought back a new Headdress of Winds, restoring his birthright."

"The great shame that splintered my tribe is avenged. Three Scars is punished, and his tribe is humbled. At last, all is well."

"All is well." I repeated under my breath. I wished that was true for my conscience.

"You have brought peace to two worlds, Wind Rider – the totem spirits live together again in harmony, and the Black Storm Raiders are broken." Raven Eyes said.

"Thunderbird is pleased. Return to her totem, and call to her again, and she will answer all of your questions."

We nodded as we turned to leave, and we sailed across the Skyway to Elder Bluff, where we walked up to the top, where Thunderbird's totem stood high above the village.

As we approached the totem, the air around us crackled as Thunderbird appeared in front of us. "You have done well, little travelers. You have humbled a great enemy of mine, and now I shall tell you how to hunt your enemy."

"You seek the Duck of Death, called English Bill until revenge blackened his heart. Only pure silver can harm him now: forge silver bullets."

"Your paths shall cross again but in a short span. You shall find the Duck of Death on the Hill of Boots, where you both shall meet your destiny."

"But first you must find silver. Speak to Silver Horn below. He will guide your path." Thunderbird said as she flapped her wings, disappearing in a clap of thunder.

We walked back down to the village below, where we soon found Silver Horn at the docks. "You have a mighty destiny, Wind Rider, for Thunderbird to notice you. You seek silver? The Claw Feet dig it out of the ground under Cooper's Roost."

"I remember seeing a mine back in Cooper's Roost. Let's go!" Bonnie said. We sailed back to Cooper's Roost, where Bonnie led us to the entrance of the mine.

"Where's the silver? Let's talk to the foreman." Ratbeard said as he pointed to a vampire from Darkmoor nearby, wearing a black fedora and a green waistcoat.

He had the body of a huge bat and the head of a human with a chalk-white face that resembled a skull, snake-like slits for nostrils, and dark scarlet eyes with cat-like slits for pupils, but despite his disturbing appearance, he was quite jovial with us.

"Oh yes, we have silver aplenty! But I fear actually taking the silver out of the mine has just become impossible." The foreman, Bat Masterson said.

"Welcome, strangers, to my great palace of dust. On any other day, I should be happy to trade with you for silver, but all production has halted."

"Bloodbats, hideous creatures, have boiled up from the deep and driven out my crews. The mines are too dangerous to work now."

"A proposition: if you were to exterminate some of these vermin for me, I will gladly give you all the silver you need."

With a great flap of his wings, Bat Masterson then propelled himself into the air, and we followed him to a mineshaft, where he gestured with his head to go inside.

As we lit lanterns and headed inside, we soon found a trio of Chicken miners surrounded by Bloodbats. Those of us with guns fired and stunned the Bloodbats, turning their attentions towards us.

Now seeing that they were not alone, the Chicken miners began swinging their pickaxes with more enthusiasm than accuracy, but they were doing a good job of distracting the Bloodbats while Bonnie, Emmett, and I reloaded.

With all of the Bloodbats stunned on the mine's floor, we put them in a mine cart for the Chicken miners to relocate them to another mineshaft.

As the mine cart rolled out of sight, we entered the remaining mine carts and we shot and slashed at the Bloodbats as they flew out from their roosts to attack us, and I counted four different colors as we zoomed through the mineshaft: brown, red, blue, and purple.

More than once, my aim was thrown off by the sudden turns the mine cart I shared with Rena made, and I often had to duck to avoid hitting my head on the lanterns hung from the mineshaft's ceiling.

Our wild ride finally ended, and as she climbed out of the mine cart, a frazzled Rena said: "Let's _never _do that again."

I couldn't help but smile in amusement at the slight shade of green Rena's face was turning, and I turned around to find an old Chicken miner with black feathers surrounded by Bloodbats, but they weren't attacking him.

"This mine is MINE! I tamed these bats, and trained them, and they're going to drive everyone out – including you!" The old Chicken miner squawked as he swung his pickaxe at me.

I dodged, and blunting my swords with blue energy, I slammed both of them onto his helmet, denting it. As he brought down his pickaxe, I crossed my swords above my head, catching the handle of the pickaxe.

As I moved forward, my swords snapped the crescent-shaped blade of the pickaxe off the handle, leaving the old Chicken miner with a useless stick.

"Let's go, old bird!" I said as I leapt backwards. The old Chicken miner harrumphed as he pointed his finger at me, sending a swarm of Bloodbats after me.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Duck of Death**

Chapter Seven

As the Bloodbats flew towards me, I leapt out of the way and sheathing my swords, I drew the reloaded pistols on my bandolier.

Stunning two bats, I drew the pistols behind my waist and stunned two more before drawing my swords again to slash at the Bloodbats.

"Look out!" A voice cried. I leapt back just in time to avoid the blast of a stick of dynamite that knocked several Bloodbats out of the air.

I heard something hiss behind me and I spun around to see a Bloodbat knocked out the air, falling to the floor stunned, just as it was about to bite the back of my neck.

I turned my head just in time to block the old Chicken miner's broken pickaxe handle, which he had lit on fire with his lantern.

Grabbing a nearby stick of dynamite, I lit the fuse as the old Chicken miner's burning stick swung past me, and threw it at the Bloodbats flying towards us, knocking them out of the air.

I then slammed my sword, blunted with blue energy into the old Chicken miner's helmet, knocking him out, and after slamming him against the wall of the mine, I turned to face the rest of the Bloodbats.

As the last of the Bloodbats were scared off by the dynamite, we heard a voice coming from behind us. "The silver… I almost had it all. I'd have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you blasted pirates!"

"Isn't it supposed to be 'you meddling kids'?" I asked. No one answered as we literally carted the old Chicken miner, who had grudgingly given his name as Old Bird Jenkins, in a mine cart back to Bat Masterson, who had him sent to jail.

"Well done, my friends! You've done me a great service, and I'm all too happy to honor my end of the bargain." Bat Masterson said as a few of his miners lifted up crates of silver.

"Now that we have the silver, let's find the blacksmith and get some bullets." Emmett said as he beckoned for the miners to follow us to the blacksmith.

"You want me to make what? Bullets are a waste of fine silver, if you ask me. There are no werewolves hereabouts." The Chicken blacksmith said.

"Maybe not, but we're hunting something far more dangerous." I said. I guess the seriousness of my voice convinced him, because then he said after blinking: "I'll have them up in a jiffy."

While the blacksmith was making the bullets, I and my trusted associates had gunnery practice on the _Aquila_'s quarterdeck.

"Make ready… fire!" I shouted. The crack of gunfire went off, leaving scorch marks on the bull's-eye targets the men had set up near the railing.

We then heard footsteps on the quarterdeck, and we turned to see it was the blacksmith's apprentice with the silver bullets.

"The silver bullets are ready – they have power enough to hurt this Duck of Death. Let's go to Bison Town and see if the Free Ranger has healed." Old Scratch said as he holstered his new pistol.

We raised anchor and set sail for the Bison Village in Big Sky Country, where we walked up to Thunderbird Temple.

"Strangers, I'm on my feet again, thanks to you. It's time to go get Tonka back." The Free Ranger said as we arrived inside Thunderbird Temple.

"You have silver bullets, but they must be sanctified. Take the Ranger forth to the place of graves that the Claw Feet call Boot Hill." Dancing Stars, the Bison medicine man that had been taking care of the Free Ranger, said.

"There is a basin there, with water blessed by Claw Foot priests. Dip your silver bullets in this water. Drive this evil from our skies forever."

As we stepped aboard the _Aquila_, the Free Ranger said to me: "Thanks for taking me with you, Matt. I'm honored to fight beside you."

"It's time to take our silver bullets. Only they can pierce him hide, once them be dipped in holy water." Old Scratch said as he opened a crate of silver bullets with a crowbar.

"It looks like the blacksmith made enough bullets for everyone. We'll need them." The Free Ranger said as each man took his share of bullets.

"All right then. I'm ready. Let's get this underway – I have a score to settle with the Duck of Death." The Free Ranger said as he finished loading his revolvers.

We then sailed east to Boot Hill, and as we got closer, it grew darker and stormier, and the rain made the deck slick as lightning flashed overhead, once even striking the main mast.

"Darkmoor ships are on us, captain!" Richard Clutterbuck shouted from his post atop the starboard railing as he pointed to a fleet of twelve Darkmoor ships sailing towards us.

"Beat to quarters!" I shouted as a bell was rung on the quarterdeck, and the men hurried to their battle stations. "Make ready!"

"Fire all guns!" I shouted as two Darkmoor ships passed by us, and our guns sank the Darkmoor ships before they could even fire.

"All hands down!" I shouted as another Darkmoor ship presented us its broadside, and we ducked for cover from the cannonballs.

The men manning the swivel guns recovered first, and they fired round shot at the bow of the Darkmoor ship as she turned to pass our starboard side, which apparently was the location of the Darkmoor ship's powder store, as it exploded and sank beneath the clouds.

The men had finished reloading their guns, and we presented our port side to the bow of another Darkmoor ship, exposing her powder store, which was then blown up by our swivels.

Another Darkmoor ship sailed towards us, and with no time to reload their guns, the men on the starboard side hurled grenades onto the deck of the Darkmoor ship, thinning out the undead crew, before hurrying to reload their guns.

We came about around the Darkmoor ship and the men on the starboard side finished what they started and sunk the Darkmoor ship.

As the seven remaining Darkmoor ships sailed towards us, the men fired broadside after broadside, with the swivels providing cover fire with grape shot, and we sailed towards Boot Hill, leaving behind the burning wrecks that were the sinking Darkmoor ships.

Finally, we dropped anchor at the Boot Hill docks, and those of us engaging the Duck of Death formed a circle at the dock, which was being converted into a temporary defensive position by our men.

"Here's the plan: I'll go in and bless my bullets in the basin, you follow as quickly as you can. Good luck!" The Free Ranger said. We followed him up to the cemetery, which was filled with gravestones, and in the center of the cemetery stood a stone basin, carved in the likeness of a praying Chicken priest.

Near the end of the cemetery, English Bill, the Duck of Death stood beside Tonka, who was chained to a tree in front of the Duck of Death's ship, and a familiar white mask. "Deacon…"

"Well, what have we here? My, but this is certainly unexpected. Free Ranger, didn't I deal with you once already?" English Bill asked.

"Our enemies come too soon – my gambit here is thwarted. I must withdraw. Destroy them!" Deacon said as he threw a smoke bomb onto the ground, enveloping himself in a cloud of smoke.

"It's my pleasure. I don't know how you managed to track us down, but you're about to regret it. Prepare to die." English Bill said as he drew his revolvers.

"Let's see how you like a fair fight – try these silver bullets!" The Free Ranger said as he too drew his revolvers. "This is it!"

He hurled the pouch containing the silver bullets into the basin, slightly open so that the holy water could bless the bullets.

Following his example, we hurled our bullet pouches into the basin, and we ducked behind gravestones for cover as English Bill began firing at us.

Rena, being the fastest among us, was the first to retrieve her bullets, and she fired one at English Bill, and as his purple energy shield went up, the silver bullet went through it as if it wasn't there, and grazed English Bill's shoulder.

We seized the chance to retrieve our bullets while English Bill was distracted, and as we finished loading our guns, monsters like the one I and my trusted associates fought while we were in Monquista, armed with tridents and nets, slithered down the gangplank to aid their dark master.

Drawing one of my swords, I deflected a trident as I aimed at English Bill and pulled the trigger, and I managed to graze him. Turning my attentions back to the monster I was fighting, I spun and slammed the hilt of my sword into his head, sending him reeling backwards.

Planting my sword in the ground, I drew a pistol from my bandolier and fired at the monster's head, stunning him before I holstered the pistol in my right and retrieved my sword.

While I and my trusted associates were handling the undead crew of English Bill, the Free Ranger was dealing with the Duck of Death himself, and they were constantly switching from offense to defense as they fired and ducked behind gravestones.

Abominations that looked like they were cobbled together with corpses, armed with bloody cleavers and hooks attached to chains, now came walking down the gangplank from the Duck of Death's ship, and they lumbered towards us.

I drove my sword into an open wound on stomach of one of the abominations' stomach, and pulling out my sword, I stabbed another abomination in the stomach.

One of the abominations hurled his chain, and he caught my sword, and I struggled not to be pulled into range of his cleaver.

The point of a saber suddenly appeared out of the abomination's stomach, and as it was pulled out, the abomination fell to reveal Rena. Freeing my sword, I saw that Bonnie and Emmett were providing cover fire for the Free Ranger while he reloaded.

Having finished reloading, the Free Ranger took careful aim at English Bill, and he pulled the trigger, and a split second later, English Bill was struck back, black blood streaming down his arm.

"Curse you! You win this round, Free Ranger, but the game is far from over. It's time to go!" English Bill said as he retreated while clutching the wound on his arm.

"The Duck, him flee to him ship, Captain my Captain! We must chase him down!" Old Scratch shouted as English Bill ran up the gangplank to his ship as she raised anchor.

Spotting a sailboat near the cemetery, I vaulted inside and pulled on the mainsheet, the rope that controlled the sail, as I sailed towards the Duck of Death's ship, who was unfurling her sails to get away

"So Pirate, you want to play the hero, eh? I'm afraid you've walked right into my trap. GET HIM!" English Bill shouted as he stood atop the starboard railing. His ship unleashed a broadside on me, and one cannonball would've sunk my boat if I hadn't put up a Valor's Shield just in time.

Though I managed to block the cannonball, the recoil sent my boat leaning towards starboard side, and I leaned against the port side to avoid capsizing. As I recovered just in time, I adjusted the sail so that I sped towards the Duck of Death's ship.

As my boat drew level with the starboard side, I stood up and leapt onto the railing and pulled myself up onto the railing, where English Bill was waiting on the quarterdeck.

I smirked as I aimed my pistol, loaded with a silver bullet, at the Duck of Death, and he seemed even more unnerved than when I blocked the cannonball.


	8. Chapter 8

**The Duck of Death**

Chapter Eight

I leapt into the fray, landing atop an abomination as I fired two quick shots at English Bill, grazing him. Gritting his bill, he fired his revolvers at me, and I managed to drop down behind the abomination and use it as a shield, stunning it before I drew my sword and stabbed it.

Drawing my other sword as English Bill's crew surrounded me, I slashed open the stomachs of the abominations, and grabbing one of their hooked chains, I threw it at the black sails of the main mast depicting English Bill's face, ripping a hole through it.

I stabbed an abomination with my left sword, and as another abomination raised his cleaver, I left my sword behind and grabbed its arm, and twisting the bloody cleaver out of his grip, I slammed it into his stomach.

Grabbing my other sword, I batted away a hooked chain thrown at me, and blocked the electrical bursts of the skeletal cowboys' revolvers with a Valor's Shield.

I turned to see English Bill aiming his revolver at me, and just as he was about to pull the trigger, a chain shot toppled the main mast of the Duck of Death's ship, nearly crushing English Bill, and I saw the _Aquila _cut in front of the Duck of Death's ship as it came about.

The men aboard the _Aquila_ threw grappling hooks onto the ship's port railing and rigging, pulling her closer to the _Aquila _so that my men could board her.

David Clutterbuck led the charge onto the Duck of Death's ship with his pistol stunning an abomination, and I took the chance to fire at English Bill.

One bullet grazed his shoulder, and another caught him in the arm, and he howled in pain as he aimed his revolver with his good arm.

Leaping out of the way of the electrical burst, I noticed a large hole at the bow, created by the spar of the fallen foremast, revealing the powder store with kegs of gunpowder underneath the deck.

"Everyone, get back to the ship!" I shouted. As the last of the men leapt back onto the quarterdeck, I drew two pistols: one loaded with a silver bullet, and one loaded with regular ammunition, and I aimed at English Bill and the hole respectively.

As English Bill went down, the powder store exploded, and I ran like hell to the port railing, where I leapt back onto the quarterdeck, rolling to break my fall. As I began to get up, I noticed that English Bill's black cowboy hat was lying next to me.

I picked it up, and dusting it off, I waved goodbye at the sinking ship with it as the ship fell through the clouds, streaming smoke.

"The Duck of Death, him meet his match today and him shadow be driven out. Now we talk to Tonka at last." Old Scratch said as we all stood on the quarterdeck.

"We've done it! Tonka, old friend! Are you alright?" The Free Ranger asked Tonka, who nodded.

"The Red-Eyed Duck, he took me prisoner so his master White Mask could learn things about my old _kimosabe_, El Toro, the horse in black." Tonka said.

"You have questions about Captain Blood. So did Red-Eyed Duck. I cannot answer them. The Duck wanted to use magic to call Don Rafael's ghost."

"Where he fails, I and I succeed. As with Captain Gunn, oh my Captain, me art will let us speak with Old El Toro's ghost." Old Scratch said.

"Then let us go to Don Rafael's grave, and we will speak with him." Tonka said. I took the wheel from Rena, and we turned back around to Boot Hill. As we dropped anchor again in Boot Hill's docks, Tonka led us to the tomb of Don Rodrigo's adopted family, the De La Vegas.

"The door be locked, Captain my Captain. We need a key. El Toro – I mean, Don Rodrigo, I bet him have it." Old Scratch said as he examined the lock on the door of the mausoleum. Leaving Tonka behind so he could pay his respects to Don Rafael, we returned to the _Aquila_, and we sailed back to Santo Pollo.

The Free Ranger rode off into the sunset, we walked to Don Rodrigo's villa, where the Bull also known as El Toro, was standing near the fountain in the center of the courtyard.

"You return so soon, my good friends. What can I do for you today?" Don Rodrigo asked as we approached.

"We need the key to Don Rafael's mausoleum." I answered.

"The key to Don Rafael's mausoleum – what could you want in such a place?" Don Rodrigo asked.

"We need to ask Don Rafael for the location of Captain Blood's lair." I answered.

"Ah, I see." Don Rodrigo said as he nodded. "I fear the key is not mine to give."

"Banditoads stole the key long ago. The Frogerales recovered it, but refused to return it. They no doubt still have it on one of their ships."

"El Toro should've taken it back, but Don Rafael's memory is… painful to me. I have not visited the place since his funeral. Good hunting."

We returned to the _Aquila_, where we sailed around Santo Pollo Skyway until we came across one of the few remaining Frogerale ships, who were defeated easily after their captain recognized us as the ones who toppled Santa Rana, their former leader.

Leaving the Frogerales with the paddle wheels of their steamer broken, we returned to the tomb of the De La Vegas with the key to the mausoleum.

We found lanterns outside the door of the mausoleum that weren't there before, so I assumed that Tonka had left them for us, and we entered the mausoleum.

"For me to call forth Don Rafael's ghost, I and I need some things precious to him. Let's look in that chest there." Old Scratch said as we lit the torch sconces hanging on the walls of the tomb.

We opened the chest in the middle of the room to find a black domino mask and cape, a sword, and an old photo album. Suddenly, Old Scratch shouted: "Beware! We wake the angry dead!"

Skeletal cowboys burst forth from coffins in alcoves, and light blue mist seeped out from cracks in the cobblestone floor to form ghostly Mustangs, Bison, Cranes, and Chickens… poultrygeists?

Old Scratch waved his staff, and three green fireballs in the shape of burning skulls flew at the ghosts, while the rest of us drew our swords and guns.

Rena stabbed a skeletal cowboy through the eyes as he was about to shoot her, and snatching his revolver away from him, she fired it at another skeletal cowboy.

Bonnie fired her Scaramanga at a skeletal cowboy, and then quickly attaching a bayonet, stabbed another skeletal cowboy.

Emmett fired his two pistols, stunning two more skeletal cowboys, and slammed the butts of his pistols into the skulls of two more.

Jack stabbed behind the knee of a skeletal cowboy and fired his pistol into the skeletal cowboy's skull, stunning it.

Old Scratch waved his staff, and he summoned a chicken that ran amongst the confused ghosts like it was headless, and it exploded, defeating several ghosts.

Ratbeard finished off the last skeletal cowboy by decapitating him with his broadside, and he stunned a ghost with his pistol.

Old Scratch summoned another exploding chicken to defeat the remaining ghosts, and we regrouped in the center of the tomb. We continued on ahead to a coffin lying horizontally on the floor against the back of the room, covered with fresh rose petals.

"Spirit of Don Rafael, come forth!" Old Scratch said as he stepped forward and waved his staff over the coffin and Don Rafael's things, which we had laid out on the coffin.

But nothing happened, and Old Scratch said: "Don Rafael, he is not here, but he is close. Let us go back above, my Captain. Rafael is up there, in the light."

We gathered Don Rafael's things, and as we emerged into the still dark and gloomy Boot Hill, Old Scratch waved his staff above the base of a barren tree. "Spirit of Don Rafael, come forth!"

Blue mist seeped out from under the roots of the tree to form a ghostly Mustang dressed as El Toro, leaning atop his sword like a cane. "I see you only dimly… But I can hear your voice. Speak."

"You seek Captain Blood's treasure? There is much I can tell you, but first I must ask, no, I must _beg _a favor from you, Pirate." Don Rafael said.

"At the end of my life, I, the original El Toro, hero of Santo Pollo, champion of justice, committed the gravest injustice. The regret tortures me even now. Listen…"

Don Rafael gestured for Rena, who was holding the old photo album, to open it, and we all peered inside to see an old photo of a younger Don Rafael patting a young Rodrigo on the head. "I had worn the mask of El Toro for many years when I adopted Rodrigo and raised him as my own son."

"He inherited my title and estate, and I taught him the ways of stealth and steel, so that he could take up the mask of El Toro after me." Don Rafael said as Rena turned the page to an old photo of Don Rafael teaching a young Rodrigo how to fence.

"In addition to my adopted son, I was blessed with a beautiful daughter, Carolina. She longed to learn the ways of the sword and become a hero herself." Don Rafael said as Rena turned the page to an old photo of Rodrigo casting his whip while Don Rafael and a strangely-familiar Mustang girl watched.

"I refused to teach her: the way of El Toro is too dangerous. In time, Carolina and Rodrigo fell deeply in love." Don Rafael said as Rena turned the page to an old photo of Rodrigo and Carolina holding hands under the moon, and I guess it must've been a serious moment killer when the photographer took it.

"Rodrigo asked my permission to marry Carolina, but I said no. The risk was too great. Then I learned something terrible: Rodrigo had been training Carolina to fence in secret. I was enraged." Don Rafael said as Rena turned to an old photo of Rodrigo and Carolina fencing in the moonlight.

"I renounced Rodrigo, and left my home, never to set foot there again." Don Rafael said as Rena turned to an old photo of Don Rafael walking off into the distance, his sword in the ground.

"Carolina left Santo Pollo in defiance." Don Rafael said as Rena turned to the last old photo, of Rodrigo watching a Bison ship set sail. "I lived out the rest of my life in solitude, consumed by anger and regret."

"I beg you, pirates, help me set things right. Bring my daughter back to Santo Pollo, so that she and Rodrigo can be reunited."

"As proof of my will, take my signet ring to Carolina. You will find it hidden in a secret nook in the caves under Scorpion Rock." Don Rafael said as he faded away.

"Carolina? I know where she is." A familiar voice said, and we turned to see Tonka standing near the rosebush growing next to the mausoleum.

"I remember those days. My heart was sad to see El Toro's family broken. If you mend these hurts, it will be a good thing." Tonka said.

"I helped Carolina leave Cool Ranch. My people took her to Skull Island, across the sky and beyond the storm."

"I have heard some news of her. Carolina has mastered the sword, and became a great captain. The pirates call her Mustang Sally."

"We met Mustang Sally in Flotsam! Ratbeard betrayed her." Emmett said as he glared pointedly at Ratbeard.

"Them days are passed, I tell you! Still, might be best to check with One-Eyed Jack instead." Ratbeard said.

"Thank you, Tonka." I said as we walked back to the _Aquila_.


End file.
